232 STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 



eyes are languid, and its voice somewhat like that of a kitten. 

 The curious characteristic from which it has received its 

 name, is its uncommon aversion to motion. When beaten, 

 instead of quickening its pace, it sends out the most doleful 

 noise. Some have said, that when upon the ground, it takes a 

 day to travel forty or fifty paces, and that it spends no less than 

 two days to mount a tree of a moderate size. When once 

 mounted, it never descends whilst leaf, bud, or fruit, remains 

 for it to devour. This animal coils itself up into a ball, so as 

 often to escape detection. Its flesh is much liked by the na- 

 tives. The other species of the sloth, the unan, differs from 

 the ai only in a few particulars; its head is not so round, its 

 hair, instead of being grey and bushy, is lank and red, and it 

 has only two claws upon each foot. 



The porcupine is not very common here. It measures 

 nearly three feet from the tip of the nose to the root of the tail; 

 it has a round head, large piercing eyes, small round ears, 

 and whiskers like those of a cat ; the whole body and part of 

 the tail are covered with sharp highly polished prickles, about 

 three inches long ; these prickles are white at the points^ ap- 

 proaching to a black in the middle, and yellow next the skin. 

 They generally lie flat upon the back, but when the animal 

 is irritated, they are set up. It has a long tall, which twists 

 round the branches of trees for support. Its feet are much 

 like those of a monkey. ^ . ., 



